New Delhi, Mar 14 (NIE): Former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran have been discharged by a CBI court in an alleged illegal telephone exchange scam case. Special judge Natarajan said he was discharging all seven accused from the case as there was no prima facie evidence to prove the charges against them.
In February this year, the CBI argued opposing the discharge petitions filed by Dayanidhi, Kalanithi Maran and others, saying there was prima facie material to proceed against them. Counsel for the Marans said they were innocent and had not caused any loss.
Dayanidhi Maran was accused of having installed a private telephone exchange with 764 telephone lines at his residence to facilitate illegal uplink of SUN TV data, causing a loss of Rs 1.78 crore to state-run telecom majors BSNL, Chennai and MTNL, Delhi.